중앙데일리

Seoul seeks 2 reunions a month for split families

The South Korean Red Cross met with its North Korean counterpart Friday, intending to propose that reunion meetings for separated families be held twice a month.

The talks, a fourth round of dialogue to discuss issues concerning Korean families separated for half a century since the Korean War, opened at the North's Mount Geumgang resort.

Aboard a South Korean boat to the North, Suh Young-hoon, South Korean Red Cross chief, said in a press briefing that he would discuss building a permanent meeting place for the reunions at Mount Geumgang.

"Since it is difficult to allow the separated families to meet en masse," Mr. Suh said, "the number of reunions at the meeting place should begin with probably two a month."

The two Koreas must refrain from one-at-a-time reunions, he stressed.

"There is a consensus between the two Koreas on the need for a permanent meeting place," Mr. Suh said. Since one such place will be established in North Korea first, another should be open in the South, he added. "I will propose opening another meeting place in the Dorasan Train Station" located near the inter-Korean border.

"The North has asked the South to build the permanent meeting facility at Mount Geumgang," Mr. Suh said. "Whether we will use the existing hotel there or build a new one, we have to think about further."